Team Toguro
Team Toguro are the main antagonists during the events of The Dark Tournament Saga. They were a group of incredibly powerful, Lower to Upper B Class demons that had participated in the last Dark Tournament, as well as a member of the Black Black Club, Sakyo. Characteristics The team's roster consisted of four highly formidable and sinister Lower to Upper B-Class demons. Team Toguro did not have any sort of mercy for their opponents, during every one of their matches, they would either torture their adversaries slowly, or simply eviscerate them in an instant. Each member of the team exhibited their own kind of sinister, and otherwise gruesome demonic powers, as well as an individual degree of strategic intelligence. Usually, Team Toguro's members would plan their every move, during and even before their fights had even begun, and would end up killing their adversaries in a most repugnant manner. As the events of the tournament unfold, they became formidable rivals, and later counterparts for Team Urameshi's members, and vice-versa. Each member of Team Toguro possessed similar powers to those of their Team Urameshi opponents, forcing Team Toguro to go all out, using every single special attack in their arsenal which they would usually keep hidden, only resorting to their other abilities as a last resort. Three of Team Toguro's members, namely Karasu, and the Toguro Brothers, proved to be rather diabolical and chilling figures, arousing fear into the hearts of their adversaries, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara, respectively. Karasu and Elder Toguro seemed to be motivated by their blood lust, and thrill-seeking behaviors, fighting merely for the sheer pleasure of torturing their opponents and watching them suffer. On the contrary, Bui and Younger Toguro were motivated by their mutual dream of becoming the strongest warriors and fighting strong opponents, the two preferring to simply kill their targets rather than taking their time. However, both Bui and Karasu hated Younger Toguro for defeating them in battle some unspecified number of years ago. Their ultimate goal was to kill him one day, and as such they ended up following him as per the Toguro's demands in hopes to get stronger and later kill him, freeing themselves from their service. Unfortunately, Karasu died in the battle against Kurama, and Bui was defeated by Hiei and was later forced to give up the goal after Younger Toguro had died. Every team that had participated in the Dark Tournament needed to have at least five members, but Team Toguro was so powerful that they were confident in their ability to achieve victory in every single one of their fights without requiring the use of a fifth member. However, during the tournament's finals, Team Toguro were obligated to bring in their human manager, Sakyo, so they had the required five members, and thus were eligible to participate while following the rules accordingly. Koenma stated that neither him nor Sakyo had intended to actually fight, but if it came down to it, Sakyo would most certainly win the match in hand-to-hand combat. It would also seem that they lack any true teamwork as their counterparts have shown, merely working together due to their own personal reasons and rarely associate with each other outside the tournament, which is heavily implied to be the only time that they ever meet in the same place. From Bui's flashback, it is suggested that he and Karasu hone their powers to dominate over the participants and one day, defeat Younger Toguro, while the Toguro Brothers do paid jobs to enforce their power over the demons in the human world. The group, like all other participants, excluding Team Urameshi, disband after the deaths of its three prominent members, including both their sponsor and founder, although it is highly probable that Bui survived and continued to get stronger. Legacy Kurama, who had achieved his Yoko form in order to defeat Karasu, ingests enough of the special potion given to him by Suzuki, so that this persona of himself could become a permanent augmentation, which he can activate at will. In the anime, once he had achieved an A-class and later a S-class level of power, he ultimately cast it aside to preserve his humanity. He reconciled his friendships with those he had defeated or betrayed for his own means, the psychic Yu Kaito and Demon King Yomi, something a murderer like Karasu, who had always killed his opponents that stood in his way, could never achieve. Hiei, who had mastered the Dragon of the Darkness Flame technique against Bui, eventually grows strong enough to become an S-class apparition. He had also found a new reason to live, not just for the sake of protecting Yukina, but also protecting the possible love he might have for the Demon Potentate Mukuro, as opposed to Bui, who had given into despair after losing his reason to live. Hiei's stern nature and actions had forced others to follow an honorable and much more peaceful life, while Bui's more merciful, but ironically cruel methods could never even motivate his own ideals, let alone the ideals of others. Kuwabara and Elder Toguro's fates were decided by the actions they had taken during their fight. Kazuma Kuwabara continues to progress in both social and combative life, achieving a greater power then the sword he had used against both Younger Toguro and Elder Toguro, his Jigen Tou blade, which could slice dimensions, and became the strongest human on Earth after Sensui's defeat and death. Also of note, Kuwabara succeeds in both love and school affairs, based on his unyielding desires to protect his principles, he also reached S Class in the manga (Eizo Hakusho OVA of the anime). Elder Toguro, on the other hand, continued to lose everything that was truly important to him, such as the respect of his own brother after insulting Genkai (or for the dishonor he showed in the Japanese version), his own identity as a fighter, becoming a literal parasite who fed off of Sadao Makihara, better known by his alias Gourmet, in order to get revenge for his own misfortunes, while becoming a pawn for an even stronger and even greater mentally unstable person then his brother, Shinobu Sensui. Inevitably, Toguro became imprisoned in a eternal nightmare of never ending killing, after insulting Kurama for his compassion and due to his own dishonorable methods that started off when he had asked to became a demon, all due to his desire to throw everything he had in order to win, including his honor. Yusuke used to be callous and considered combat as a mundane part of his life, exactly as Younger Toguro had. Unlike Yusuke, Toguro had given up his humanity and even his love for Genkai, the only person who cared about him, in order to become a terrifying figure that he previously hated and feared, becoming just like the former Dark Tournament champion, Kairen. Toguro continued to follow this path so as to forget his pain, find worthy opponents and discovered company in people who were motivated to kill him or who wished to avenge themselves for the humiliation Toguro submitted them to, namely Bui and Karasu. Yusuke had almost followed the same path, until realizing the bonds he developed with all the people he had met during the Dark Tournament. When he becomes stronger than all of his peers, even then he is surrounded by people who viewed him as a brother, lover, ally, close friend, and even his colleagues and associates from the Spirit World become positively influenced by his nature, and would defy authority in order to protect even the people Yusuke disliked. Toguro, however, would nonchalantly kill such people if they annoyed him. Being a positive influence that is both strong and compassionate, Yusuke earns the friendship and trust of those who had previously tried to kill him. He becomes a positive role model for fellow spiritually aware humans on following the right path, and had succeeded in pulling his predecessor out of his madness so as he could find his true wish in life. Yusuke gained the trust of the strongest demons in Makai, a valuable ally in Mukuro, a respected rival for Yomi, who owed him for finding true peace that he could not find on his own, and became the son that Raizen could be proud of for achieving a positive solution as to save his world, all for never accepting limits and becoming stronger. Younger Toguro would never have discovered on his own, accepting limits and living a life that would only end after he had surpassed everything. On the other hand, Toguro was aware of his situation, and for the past several years of his life after becoming a demon, he fell into a spiral of self-loathing. In Spirit World, where he met Genkai one last time, the latter claimed to have figured Toguro out. Genkai told to Toguro that the reason for this all lead back to when he lost his students to Kairen. He kept blaming himself for their deaths, even though no one could have stopped him at that time. When he avenged them and became a demon, he came to regret this decision, and began torturing himself more and more due to his mistake. Genkai realized that when Toguro met Yusuke, he could sense his potential and realized that he would end up with a similar fate, which is why he forced him to compete in the tournament, teaching him "in his screwed up way" of what really valued to him the most and prevented him walking the same path as Toguro did many years ago. In a sense Toguro finally managed to redeem himself, unlike his brother and teammates. Sakyo and Koenma, although they had never fought, both had choices that would effect the outcome of the Tournament and their destinies. While Sakyo would be honorable and would accept loss even if it meant death, as long as it would fit in with his sadistic and reckless way of life, but could never stay alive for the sake of Shizuru's love. Koenma on the other hand was ready to surrender his life to seal Sensui, a man whom he had once viewed as a close friend, but through the positive influence of Yusuke, is able to defy fate and even his father as to protect his comrades. He became confident of his actions even if it required him to surrender his stable life, as long as it was for the sake of protecting those around him. He is able to become a close friend with the one he had employed, Yusuke, while Sakyo could only be respected, but not viewed as a friend by Younger Toguro. Members Younger Toguro :Younger Toguro was a human-turned-demon and the main antagonist during the Dark Tournament arc. Once a great martial arts master and Genkai's lover, Toguro was psychologically scarred when a demon name Kairen killed all the students at his dojo. Toguro and Genkai participate in the Dark Tournament and defeat Kairen in the final round. Toguro decides he does not want to age and lose his power, so as his prize for winning he asks to be turned into a demon. Fifty years later he returns to the Dark Tournament, challenging Yusuke, hoping he has finally found a fighter worthy of his full 100% power. Elder Toguro :Elder Toguro was a human-turned-demon shapeshifter. He usually rides on his brother's shoulder, and often fights alongside him. Elder Toguro can alter the shape of his body to form weapons or to move his vital organs to escape harm, and also has powerful regenerative abilities, almost to the point of immortality. After being nearly destroyed by his brother, Elder Toguro is trapped in a regenerative state on the island where the Dark Tournament took place. There he is found by Sensui and devoured by Sensui's cohort Gourmet. This proves costly for Gourmet as Toguro easily takes control of his body. The indestructible Toguro faces Kurama who manages to attach him to the Cursed Tree, which keeps him immobilized and in a state of tormented delusion, constantly feeding off of his soul for eternity. Bui :Bui was a demon warrior who possesses an immense battle aura. When he was younger, Bui fought Younger Toguro and lost. He swore he would train and one day defeat him, so Toguro invites Bui to join his team as he trains, but Bui is unable to surpass him. He wears heavy armor to suppress his aura and wields an axe larger than his own body. Karasu :Karasu was a demon bomber. He was able to use his aura to create bombs undetectable by lower level demons, as well as create bombs within his victims. He wears a mask over his mouth which restricts his unstable powers. He is also able to use his entire body as an explosive. Sakyo :Sakyo (左京, Sakyō) was the wealthy owner of Team Toguro. He was a sociopath, who grew up torturing and killing animals and people. He has an affinity and knack for gambling, occasionally putting his own life on the line just for the thrill of it. He accumulates a vast fortune which he plans to use to create a hole to the demon plane, for no other reason than to just see what happens. Matches First Round Vs. Spirit Warriors :Younger Toguro vs. All Members (Except Rugby) - Win :Final Result: Win Semi Finals Vs. Team Gorenja :Karasu vs. Midorenjya - Win :Bui vs. Kirenjya - Win :Elder Toguro vs. Akarenjya, Aorenjya and Momorenjya - Win :Final Result: Win Finals Vs. Team Urameshi :Karasu vs Kurama - Win (Default) :Bui vs Hiei - Loss :Elder Toguro vs Kuwabara - Loss :Younger Toguro vs Yusuke - Loss :Final Result: Loss Story Saving Yukina arc The Toguro Brothers made there first appearance together, during the Saving Yukina arc. They were hired by the human mob boss Tarukane, for the purpose of torturing the ice maiden Yukina, into creating priceless gemstones from her tears (a natural phenomenon in her species). The two siblings had successfully managed to get her to cry, by killing the birds that would regularly visit her, while she was imprisoned in the highest tower of Tarukane's mansion. It was during that same day that spirit detective Yusuke Urameshi and his friend Kazuma Kuwabara, arrived to rescue Yukina form Tarukane's headquarters. After Urameshi and Kuwabara had defeated all of Tarukane's guards, consisting of both humans and demons, the Toguro Brothers personally challenged the duo to a battle to the death, with the older brother turning into a sword and shield for the younger one. After being severely injured, and hopelessly overpowered by their opponents, Kuwabara and Urameshi make a final attack; Yusuke fires his spirit-gun at Kuwabara, propelling him towards the Younger Toguro brother. In the process, Kuwabara stabs the oversized warrior with his spirit-sword right in Toguro's stomach. The Dark Tournament Saga After the mission was completed, Urameshi and Kuwabara return to Spirit World with Yukina, leaving Toguro's death behind them. After they had all left the mansion, Younger Toguro reveals to have survived the fight, removing Kuwabara's sword from his abdomen. It is then revealed that the brothers had been secretly working under Sakyo, who deceived Tarukane into betting all of his fortune on the Toguro Brothers' victory against the spirit detective. The Younger Toguro announces to Sakyo that he shall be looking forward to fighting Urameshi in the Dark Tournament. Later on, Toguro tracks Urameshi down to his home town, threatening to kill Yusuke and his loved ones if he refuses to participate in the tournament. Yusuke is forced to accept the offer, and so Team Toguro's manager, Sakyo, invites Team Urameshi into the competition. Team Urameshi eventually made their way to the finals. Through the course of the tournament, Team Toguro make frequent appearances that hint their abilities, and revealing the team's history and each members motivation. Every single team that is pinned against Team Toguro, have their members brutally tortured, or otherwise killed within a short, but gruesome period of time, making Team Toguro the most revered and feared team within the tournament. They ultimately end up in the finals against Team Urameshi. In the first match against Team Urameshi, Karasu is killed by Kurama, after using his Yoko Kurama form, but Kurama loses to the match through a ten count technicality. The second match was between Hiei and Bui. During their fight, Bui is able to reverse the Dragon of the Darkness Flame attack against Hiei, but Hiei had assimilated the darkness flame, subsequently defeating Bui, but in a rare moment of mercy, lets him live. As of the third match, Elder Toguro fights Kuwabara, proving himself to be impossible to kill due to his ability to shift the location of his internal organs, but Kuwabara manages to defeat Elder Toguro by destroying most of his outer body, forcing him to hide under the ring until he had fully regenerated. It was during Kuwabara's match that Elder Toguro had mocked Genkai in front of the entire audience, in a rather repugnant puppet show and in the English version, as punishment and revenge, Younger Toguro knocks his older brother off the island, claiming that the two of them had nothing in common any more. In the Japanese version, Younger Toguro was angry for his brother's suggestion of using him during his battle with Yusuke and refused to cheat, stating while he may have sold his soul to become a demon, he had never forsaken his honor. Before the final battle began, Sakyo bets his life on the success of his team, planning to commit suicide if Team Toguro loses. In the last match, Toguro keeps rising his power level, up to the point where he begins assimilating the souls of the surrounding demons. As Yusuke begins intimidating Toguro with his own rapidly increasing power level, Toguro reaches 120% (manga) or 100% (dub) of his power in order to give a final blow, but loses in the very end. After this final battle, Sakyo keeps his promise and kills himself by having the entire stadium collapse over him. The Chapter Black Saga Elder Toguro subsequently survives the blow given to him by his younger brother, and with this, gains the ability to regenerate his entire body from a single fragment, and without the need to save his internal organs. He later joins forces with the insane former spirit detective, Shinobu Sensui. Noticing that Toguro was taking too long to recover, Sensui had ordered his brutish henchman Gourmet to devour Toguro, in order to put the weakened demon to some use. By the time of the last events of the Chapter Black arc, Kurama reveals that Toguro had taken over Gourmet's body, using the brute as a means of gaining more powers by eating as many powerful enemies as possible. Toguro is inevitably defeated by Kurama, who traps him into a never ending nightmare, caused by the horrible Sinning Tree. Trivia *In the anime adaptation, Team Toguro made their first visual appearance during the season one ending credits title. *Bui and Elder Toguro are the only living members left out of Team Toguro, however, it was never specified as to what became of Bui after Younger Toguro had died. *Team Toguro made its' last appearance with all five members, including Sakyo, during the anime's third ending credits title. *All of the members had to restrain their abilities through specific means: Karasu's mask, Bui's armor, Elder Toguro's sadistic personality(To torture Kuwabara rather than kill him), and Younger Toguro's percentage. References Navigation Category:Dark Tournament Teams Category:Group Category:Demons